By Taurai Mazwi
Government has established a new financing model for the Command Agriculture Programme which will be premised on commercial banks providing funds to farmers and Government giving the necessary guarantees.
Speaking during the presentation of the 34th Cabinet Decision Making Matrix briefing yesterday, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Monica Mutsvangwa said, “The model is premised on the provision of funding to farmers by commercial banks, with Government providing the necessary guarantees. So far, three (3) commercial banks, that is, CBZ, Stanbic and Agribank are participating on the Programme. Other commercial banks are hereby encouraged to also come on board and support agriculture.
“All farmers are therefore, invited to approach the aforementioned banks for financial assistance in preparation for the imminent summer agricultural season. This model will go a long way in ensuring transparency, accountability and sustainability of the Programme.”
Minister Mutsvangwa also revealed during the post-cabinet briefing that Government had formed an Inter-Ministerial Committee following a report the Ministry had received from the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing which had been prompted by the closure of the Morton Jaffray Water Treatment Plant by the Harare Municipal Authorities citing lack of water treatment chemicals.
“Cabinet endorsed the establishment of an Inter-Ministerial Committee comprising the Ministers of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing; Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement; Finance and Economic Development, and the Harare City Council, to come up with strategies to conclusively resolve the Harare City water supply challenges in the short, medium and long term.
“The strategies will entail soliciting for investments into the City’s additional water supply sources, revamping of the water and sewer reticulation systems, boosting the water treatment works, and addressing the associated challenges of environmental pollution,” said the Minister.
To this effect, Cabinet resolved that Government is to expedite implementation of the Kunzvi-Musami-Greater Harare and the Muda-Nyatsime-Chitungwiza water supply projects. They also resolved that Government works on a more centralised arrangement for the local procurement and production of water treatment chemicals for all local authorities.
During the post-cabinet briefing, Minister of Energy and Power Development Fortune Chasi, informed Cabinet about an agreement he had secured with the Mozambican authorities for the supply of an additional 100 megawatts from Hydroelectrica de Cahora Bassa of Mozambique. He said this, together with the ongoing rehabilitation of the existing small thermal power stations, should consolidate the already improved electricity supply situation in the country.
Minister Chasi went on to say that the improvement should be reinforced by the institution of a cost reflective tariff system, improved operational efficiencies at ZESA, and effective demand-side management measures.
Meanwhile, during the meeting, Cabinet revealed that Government is working on the development of the Kanyemba area in Mbire District of Mashonaland Central Province and that the project marks the beginning of implementation of the Second Republic’s strategy to develop previously marginalised and neglected areas of Zimbabwe in order to ensure that “no one is left behind.”
